Texas Frost Weed

This very unusual plant is also called the Ice Weed or White Crown-beard.  It blooms beautiful snow white blossoms in the late summer and early fall.  When the temperatures fall below freezing in the winter, and the ground is still warm, the root system continues to send sap up into the stalk of the plant.  The leaves have long sense fallen off, leaving just the erect stalk sticking up.  When the sap in the stalk crystalizes, it causes the stalk to split and thin ribbons of ice push out and form these very unusual ice sculptures.  These plants are commonly found in the Edwards Plateau region of central Texas.